In the first half of 2025, roughly one-third (32.8%) of all U.S. home sales were paid for entirely in cash — only a slight dip from 2024, yet still well above pre-pandemic levels. While the national peak for cash transactions came in 2012 at 35.4%, today’s numbers confirm that cash buyers remain a significant force shaping the housing market.
Key Takeaways
- Cash continues to dominate: 32.8% of homes sold so far in 2025 were all-cash purchases — down just 0.6% from a year earlier.
- Two extremes lead the way: Cash buyers are most active at both the entry-level and luxury ends of the market.
- Second-home and coastal areas — like the Jersey Shore — tend to attract more all-cash activity.
- High-priced, less competitive regions often see fewer all-cash deals.
- Cash activity reflects concentrated wealth, investor participation, and a desire to avoid high mortgage rates.
- If interest rates begin to ease, financed buyers may regain a stronger foothold in the market.
Cash Still Shapes Competition
Even with a modest decline in share, all-cash transactions continue to set the tone for how deals are negotiated and closed. Cash buyers have long enjoyed advantages — fewer contingencies, faster closings, and greater certainty for sellers. During the pandemic-era surge, many used cash offers to stand out in competitive bidding wars.
Now, with mortgage rates still hovering near multi-decade highs, many buyers who can afford to skip financing are doing so. That trend has kept the share of cash deals well above pre-pandemic norms. Between 2019 and 2023, cash purchases jumped from 27.5% to 34% before easing slightly to 32.8% in 2025.
This shift reflects a market still defined by tight inventory, wealth concentration, and cautious lenders. While large institutional investors have pulled back from some markets, smaller investors and equity-rich homeowners continue to buy with cash — particularly in shore communities and suburban markets with strong rental or second-home appeal.
The Local Perspective: Ocean and Monmouth Counties
Here along the Jersey Shore, the impact of all-cash sales is felt most acutely in popular coastal towns and active-adult communities, where buyers often bring equity from prior home sales or out-of-state relocations. Areas like Toms River, Point Pleasant, Brick, and Long Branch continue to see a mix of retiree buyers and second-home investors who prefer the simplicity and leverage of cash transactions.
For real estate professionals and title agencies, understanding these dynamics is critical. Cash deals often move faster through underwriting and closing — but they also demand precise title work to ensure clear ownership, proper lien release, and smooth settlement timelines.